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ArticleComments Off on UNESCO’s global coalition against extremisms and hate speech

May182016

Promoted by UNESCO, the Campaign Unite4Heritage purposes to defend cultural heritage and diversity around all over the world.

It is designed to empower the mobilization of governments and all heritage stakeholders in response to the deliberate damage to cultural heritage, especially in the Middle East. Moreover, it invites everyone to oppose to any extremisms and radicalizations by celebrating the places, objects and cultural traditions.

Among its areas of interest, it is important to highlight that Unite4Heritage is engaged in “cultural diversity education”, which is a topic strictly connected to BRICKS’ aims. The coalition works to ensure young people can use the Internet without risk of radicalization, and to Counter Online Hate Speechthrough media and information literacy. It rises up against any types of extremist and negative narratives that call for attacks on cultural diversity.

Launched on 2015, “Countering Online Hate Speech” publication is a part of the ongoing UNESCO Series on Internet Freedom. The study has been realized in cooperation with the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy at the University of Oxford. It provides an overview of the dynamics characterizing online hate speech with the aim of disseminate some of the measures adopted to mitigate it, and good practices developed.

In the introduction we can read: “Hate speech online is situated at the intersection of multiple tensions: it is the expression of conflicts between different groups within and across societies; it is a vivid example of how technologies with a transformative potential such as the Internet bring with them both opportunities and challenges; and it implies complex balancing between fundamental rights and principles, including freedom of expression and the defence of human dignity.”.

The research focuses on four areas of study. First of all, the “definition” of the hate speech; secondly the “jurisdiction” of the national governments and the role of transnational companies; the “comprehension” especially the character of online hate speech and its relation to offline speech; lastly the “intervention”, meant as the identification of a variety of methods that have been used to address specific and contextual problems.

Funded by Facebook, the “Counter-Narrative Toolkit” website was created in order to push back against violent extremist content online. Furthermore, it was designed following the recognition that many of the individuals that are best positioned to produce credible counter-narrative messages do not always have the skills to do so.

The toolkit is completely free and it offers a guide to produce counter-narrative content and campaigning. Thanks to this site any individual or organisation looking to create counter-narratives can plan, create and promote its own campaign or social media strategy.

On May the 3rd, a journalism workshop about hate speech took place in Bologna, hosted by International Centre Zonarelli. This lesson is part of the journalism training course organised by Association SHE news and addressed to a group of 10 migrant women. Also a group of students from the Department of Political Science took part at the participative training.

Alessia Giannoni, from Cospe, was invited to talk about “hate speech”, the role of media, its consequences and possible solutions. The lesson was the occasion for a real exchange among migrants, journalists, associations and students.

ArticleComments Off on ECRI General Policy Recommendation on combating Hate Speech

Apr272016

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, ECRI – European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, has published a policy recommendation on combating hate speech. It is a guideline to all 47 member States on how to prevent hate speech, how to support those targets by it, and deal with its consequences.

An updated definition of this phenomenon is provided: hate speech is the advocacy, promotion or incitement of the denigration, hatred or vilification of a persone or a group of persons, any harassment, insult, negative stereotyping, stigmatization or threat of such person or persons and justification of these forms of expression, based on “race”, colour, language, religion or belief, nationality or national or ethnic origin, as well as descent, age, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and other characteristics or status.

Encouraging speedy reactions by public figures to hate speech, promoting self-regulation of media, raising awareness of the dangerous consequences of hate speech, encouraging political parties to sign the Charter of European Political Parties for a non-racist society, promote the monitoring of misinformation, negative stereotyping and stigmatisation, are among the most important recommendations.

It is important to recognise that a balance must be held between combating hate speech, and preserving freedom of speech. Indeed, Thorbjorn Jagland – the Council of Europe Secretary General – warned against arbitrary application of sanctions, and he affirmed: “Anti-hate speech measures must be well-founded, proportionate, non-discriminatory, and must not be used to curb freedoms of expression or assembly”.

A parliamentary commission has been established in Italy to contrast and prevent hate speech and to study all the xenofobic and racist actions online. The first goal of this new institution is to better understand the probable drifts that hate speech could take, such as sexism, homosexuality, anti-semitism or Islamophobia and to fight them.

The Commission, chaired by Laura Boldrini, The President of Chamber of Deputies, will be composed by representatives of the various political parties, civil society organizations, institutions and experts.

The #SilenceHate campaign was launched in Italy with a press conference in Rome on March the 17th. The occasion was the presentation of the research “Hate is not an opinion. Hate speech, journalism and migration”, realized by COSPE on the framework of BRICKS.

The aim of this research is to use analyses of case studies and interviews of select witnesses and media sources to shed light on the phenomenon of online hate speech directed at immigrants, refugees, and minorities.Continue reading »

The 10th edition of the International Journalism Festival will open on 6th April in Perugia.

During the five days of Festival, journalism is principally participation and conversation, thus attendees and speakers from all over the world will take part; the focus is not only on journalism, but also on areas of public interest such as the migrant crisis, war, terrorism, freedom of expression and the fight against censorship, and many more. The issues in play are many: fact-checking, explanatory journalism, the role of platforms, the involvement of readers and the civic role of journalism.

ARTICLE 19 has published a toolkit to explain Hate Speech, it is a guide to identifying “hate speech” and how effectively counter it, while protecting the rights to freedom of expression and equality.

The most important toolkit’s issues are: how identifying hate speech, what positive measures States can take to combating hate speech, and which types of “hate speech” should be prohibited by States.

The aim of this guide is trying to promote the rights to freedom of expression and equality, in order to create a pluralistic and democratic society, in which all human rights can be realised for all people.